Cruising

A Look At The Kids’ Area at Celebration Key: Starfish Lagoon

Carnival has shared more information about the family-friendly area in their new private port, Celebration Key. The “portal,” Carnival’s terminology for the distinct areas in Celebration Key, is called Starfish Lagoon. Let’s take a look at what’s in the area. 

Dueling 10-story waterslides

Starfish Lagoon will feature two 350-foot-long waterslides mounted to the 10-story “sun castle.” The two slides, the pink Flash Flamingo slide and the blue Mach III water slide, are named after the national birds and fish of the Bahamas. 

Guppy Grotto splash pad

Right at the entrance to Starfish Lagoon is an area dedicated to toddlers and small children. Guppy Grotto is bright and colorful, with water toys, a dump bucket, and a two-foot-deep wading pool. Kills will love running around and playing in this area. Nearby, you’ll find an ice cream shop to cool off. 

Access to the large freshwater lagoon

Guests can also access the largest freshwater lagoon in the Caribbean from Starfish Lagoon. This massive pool is the centerpiece of Celebration Key, and a good portion is the family-friendly portal (don’t worry, there’s a separate adult-oriented portion of the pool as well. 

Sports Court and Game Pavillion

In Starfish Lagoon, you’ll find a few areas to keep you entertained if you’re not in the mood for water activities. Together, these two areas take the popular Sports Square located on many Carnival ships. 

In the Game Pavillion, you’ll find table games like foosball, ping pong, and corn hole. 

Next door, the Sports Court will have volleyball, basketball, and pickleball courts. 

Floating cabanas for rent

Starfish Lagoon will also have 12 family-oriented floating cabanas called “AquaBanas.” Based on the renders, these cabanas seem to be giant inflatables that float over the water and include a sturdy table and a shaded area. The AquaBanas are located near one of the bars, so guests can easily grab a drink while relaxing (just don’t expect to use your CHEERS package). A variety of traditional cabanas and daybeds will also be available to rent. 

Food and drinks

The Starfish Lagoon will have a swim-up bar, including specialty frozen rum cocktails. There will also be several restaurants, snack bars, and shacks, along with food trucks serving Bahamian-style cuisine. Carnival has not provided which of these would be included or extra-free. 

Beach space

While Starfish Lagoon will have a huge pool, it doesn’t mean there won’t be any real beach to relax on. In the area is a stretch of white sand beaches overlooking the beautiful turquoise water of the Caribbean. Here, guests can rent kayaks and paddle boards, play in the waves, or just relax on a sun lounger. 

Celebration Key opens in July 2025

Celebration Key is scheduled to welcome its first guests in July 2025. More than 500 itineraries feature visits to the new destination are currently open for sale.

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Randy Young

Randy Young is the founder and editor-in-chief at Cruise Spotlight. He has been in marketing for 20 years and has been cruising for just as long. Over the years, he's worked with products like TVs, copiers, light bulbs, and EV chargers, but cruising has always been his passion. There's nothing Randy likes more than the first couple of hours on a ship, exploring every nook and cranny and seeing how it's different from everything else out there. He's known for providing detailed and analytical coverage of cruising to help cruisers get a comprehensive picture of a ship's offerings.